Algeria

Culture Name

Algerian

Alternative Names

In Arabic, the country is known as Al-Jaza'ir, which is short for
Al-Jumhuriyal Al-Jaza'iriyah ad-dimuqratiyah ash-sha'biyah.

Orientation

Identification.
The name Algeria is derived from the name of the country's oldest
continuous settlement and modern capital, Algiers, a strategically located
port city with access to both Europe and the Middle East. Most of the
population of the country is in the north. While the majority of the
population who are Arab (or mixed Arab and Berber) identify with the
common Algerian culture, the Berber tribes, particularly in the more
isolated southern mountainous and desert regions, retain more of the
indigenous Berber culture and identity.

Location and Geography.
Algeria is in northern Africa. It borders Tunisia and Libya to the east;
Niger, Mali, and Mauritania to the south; Morocco and Western Sahara to
the west; and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. It covers a total of
919,595 square miles (2,381,751 square kilometers), making it the second
largest country in Africa (after Sudan), and the eleventh largest in the
world. Almost nine-tenths of this area is composed of the six Saharan
provinces in the south of the country; however, 90 percent of the
population, and most of the cities, are located along the fertile coastal
area known as the Tell, or hill. The climate is desert like, although the
coast does receive rain in the winter. Only 3 percent of the land is
arable, this along the Mediterranean. Inland from the coast is the High
Plateau region, with an elevation of 1,300 to 4,300 feet (396 to 1,311
meters). This is mostly rocky and dry, dotted with vegetation on which
cattle, sheep, and goats graze. Beyond the plateau are the Saharan Atlas
Mountains, which form the boundary of the Algerian Sahara desert. Despite
efforts by the government to contain the desert by planting rows of pine
trees, it continues to expand northward. The vast expanse contains not
only sand dunes and typical desert life such as snakes, lizards, and
foxes, but also oases, which grow date and citrus trees. There are also
striking sandstone rock formations, red sand, and even a mountain, Mount
Tahat, the highest point in Algeria, that is sometimes snow-topped.

Demography.
The estimated population as of 2000 is 31,193,917. Ethnically it is
fairly homogeneous, about 80 percent Arab and 20 percent Berber. Less than
1 percent are European. The Berbers are divided into four main groups. The
largest of these are the Kabyles, who live in the Kabylia Mountains east
of Algiers. The Chaouias live in the Aurès Mountains, the
M'zabites in the northern Sahara, and the Tuaregs in the desert.

Linguistic Affiliation.
The original language of Algeria was Berber, which has varied dialects
throughout the country. Arabic came to the country early in its history,
along with Arab culture and the Muslim religion. When the French came,
they attempted to get rid of native culture, and one of the ways they did
this was to impose their language on the people. At independence, Arabic
was declared the official language. Arabic and Berber are the languages
most spoken in day-to-day life. French is being phased out, but it remains
an important language in business and some scientific and technical
fields, and it is taught as a second language in the schools.

Symbolism.
The flag is green and white, with a red star and crescent. The star,
crescent, and the color green are all symbolic of the Islamic religion.

Algeria

History and Ethnic Relations

Emergence of the Nation.
The Berbers were the original inhabitants of the region. The first
invaders were the Phoenicians, whose empire covered the area that is today
Lebanon. They began establishing ports along the Mediterranean in 1200
B . C . E
. They built the cities of Constantine and Annaba in the east of
present-day Algeria, but aside from teaching the Berbers how to raise
crops, for the most part they kept their distance from them. The Romans
began making inroads into North Africa, declaring a new kingdom called
Numidia. Roman rule lasted six hundred years.

The Arabs swept across North Africa in the seventh century (during the
lifetime of Muhammad, who died in 632), and again in the eleventh century.
The Berbers put up resistance, particularly to the edict that both
religious and political leaders could only be Arabian. The second Muslim
conquest saw a great shift in Berber civilization, as the people were
forced to convert in great numbers or to flee to the hills. However, as
internal conflicts began to sway
the Muslim stronghold in North Africa in the fifteenth century, Europeans
capitalized on this, and by 1510 Spain had seized Algiers, Oran, and other
important port cities.

The French took control in the nineteenth century. In retaliation for
Algerian debts and insolence toward the European nation, they blockaded
several Algerian ports, and when this did not succeed, they invaded
Algiers on 5 July 1830. Four years later they declared Algeria a colony,
beginning a 132-year reign. In 1840 Abd al-Qadir, an Algerian freedom
fighter, led the Arabs in an insurgence against their colonizers, which
ended in defeat in 1847. At about the same time, the French began
immigrating in large numbers to Algeria, in an attempt by the French
government to replace Algerian culture with their own. By 1881 there were
300,000 Europeans (half of them French) in an area of 2.5 million Arabs.

In 1871 Muslims staged the biggest revolt since that of Abd al-Qadir
thirty-one years earlier. The French responded by tightening control and
further restricting the rights of the Algerians.

Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the French
continued to expand their influence and land holdings, and by 1914 they
had extended their domain to include large tracts of land that were
formerly wilderness or the property of Berber tribes. During World War I
and again in World War II, Algerians were drafted to fight with the
French. After World War II, Algerian leaders demanded Muslim equality in
exchange for this service. Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the French
resistance against Germany during the war and the leader of
France's provisional government after the war, agreed to grant
French citizenship to certain select Muslims, an unsatisfactory response
that resulted in rising tensions between Algerians and their colonizers.
Anti-French sentiment had been building for some time—the first
anticolonial group was formed in 1926, and another, the Algerian
People's Party, in 1937—but it was not until 1945 that the
independence movement really began to gain momentum. In 1947, de Gaulle
refused to relinquish French hold on the colony. The Algerian war for
independence broke out in 1954, when the National Liberation Army
(ALN)—the military arm of the National Liberation Front
(FLN)—staged guerrilla attacks on French military and communication
posts and called on all Muslims to join their struggle.

Over the next four years the French sent almost half a million troops to
Algeria. Their tactics of bombing villages and torturing prisoners gained
worldwide attention and was condemned by the United Nations and U.S.
president John F. Kennedy. In 1959 De Gaulle, who was now president of
France, issued a promise of independence to the colony, but the next year
proceeded to send troops to restore order. In 1961 leaders of the FLN met
with the French government, and the following year, Algeria finally won
its independence. Ahmed Ben Bella was declared premier. He was head of the
government and of the FLN, the country's sole political party. The
extent of his power began to make people uncomfortable, and in 1965 a
bloodless coup took him out and put Houari Boumedienne, the former defense
minister, in his place. Boumedienne continued but modified Ben
Bella's socialist policies, concentrating his efforts on reducing
unemployment and illiteracy, decentralizing the government, and taking
control of the land back from the French colonizers. When he died in 1978
he was succeeded by Colonel Chadli Bendjedid. During the 1980s, Islamic
fundamentalism became an increasingly strong movement, and several times
led to riots. A new constitution, introduced in 1989, reduced the power of
the FLN, and for the first time allowed other political parties. The first
part of a general election was held in December 1991, but the process of
democratization was cut short when the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) came
close to victory and forced Bendjedid to resign. The FIS never attained
control of the government, however, as Bendjedid was replaced by a
military takeover of anti-FIS forces. They established a transitional
governing body called the Higher Council of States (HCS). Elections were
again scheduled in 1992 but the outcome seemed set to favor the outlawed
FIS party, and the elections were canceled. This has resulted in ongoing
retaliations and counterattacks, in which both sides have ravaged villages
and tens of thousands have been killed. In September 1999, Algerians by a
large margin passed a referendum proposed by President Abdelaziz
Bouteflika to stop the seven-year-long conflict. However, legal
injunctions have not yet manifested themselves to end to the violence.

National Identity.
The national identity of Algeria is based on a combination of Berber and
Arab cultures. The strong influence of Islam in all aspects of Algerian
life creates a sense of identity that extends beyond national boundaries
to include other Arab nations. Opposition to the French colonizers also
has been a uniting force in defining a sense of identity in Algeria.

Many of the villages located in Algeria's desert
region—such as the oasis town of El-Oved in the Sahara
(above)—feature high stone border walls for privacy.

Ethnic Relations.
There is some distrust between the Arabs and the Berbers, which dates
back centuries to the conquest of the area by Arab settlers. Although most
Berbers have adopted the Islamic religion, they remain culturally
distinct, and even when they are forced to migrate to the cities in search
of work, they prefer to live in clans and not integrate themselves into
the dominant Arab society. The Kabyles are the most resistant to
government incursion. The Chaouias are traditionally the most isolated of
all the Berber groups; the only outsiders their villages received were
occasional Kabyle traders. This isolation was broken during the war for
independence, when the French sent many of the Chaouias to concentration
camps.

Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space

The population of Algeria is split evenly between urban and rural
settings. The center of old cities is the
casbah
(Arabic for fortress), a market of serpentine alleyways and intricate
arches where a variety of traditional crafts are sold, from carpets to
baskets to pottery. Outside of this relatively unchanged remnant of the
old way of life, Algerian cities are a mix of Western influence and Arabic
tradition.

The largest city is the capital, Algiers, in the north, on the
Mediterranean coast. It is the oldest city in the country, dating back
almost three thousand years, to Phoenician times. It served as the
colonial capital under both the Turkish and the French. In the casbah, the
old Islamic part of the city, many of the buildings are dilapidated, but
the narrow streets are lively, with children playing, merchants selling,
and people walking and shopping. The casbah is surrounded by newer,
European-style buildings. The city contains a mix of modern high-rises and
traditional Turkish and Islamic architecture. The port at Algiers is the
largest in the country and is an industrial center.

Oran, to the west of Algiers, is the second-biggest city. It was built by
the Arabs in 903, but was dominated by the Spanish for two centuries, and
later by the French. It thus shows more European influence than any other
city in Algeria, housing a large number of cathedrals and French colonial
architecture.

Other urban centers include Constantine and Annaba. All of
Algeria's cities have been hard hit by overpopulation, and its
attendant problems of housing shortages and unemployment.

While most of Algeria's desert is uninhabited, it does have some
villages, many of them surrounded
by stone walls. Reflecting the same values of privacy and insulation,
traditional homes also are walled in. The rooms form a circle around a
patio or enclosed courtyard. Most architecture, from modern high-rises to
tarpaper shacks, uses this same model. Traditional building materials are
whitewashed stone or brick, and in older houses, the ceilings and upper
parts of the walls are decorated with tiled mosaics.

Nomads of the desert and the high plateau live in tents woven from
goat's hair, wool, and grass. In the Kabylia Mountains, villagers
build their one-room homes of clay and grass or piled stones, and divide
the room into two parts, one for the animals and one for the family.

Food and Economy

Food in Daily Life.
The national dish of Algeria is couscous, steamed semolina wheat served
with lamb or chicken, cooked vegetables, and gravy. This is so basic to
the Algerian diet that its name in Arabic,
ta'am,
translates as "food." Common flavorings include onions,
turnips, raisins, chickpeas, and red peppers, as well as salt, pepper,
cumin, and coriander. Alternatively, couscous can be served sweet,
flavored with honey, cinnamon, or almonds. Lamb also is popular, and often
is prepared over an open fire and served with bread. This dish is called
mechoui.
Other common foods are
chorba,
a spicy soup;
dolma,
a mixture of tomatoes and peppers, and
bourek,
a specialty of Algiers consisting of mincemeat with onions and fried
eggs, rolled and fried in batter. The traditional Berber meal among the
poorer people is a cake made of mixed grains and a drink mixed together
from crushed goat cheese, dates, and water.

Strong black coffee and sweetened mint tea are popular, as well as apricot
or other sweetened fruit juices.
Laban
also is drunk, a mixture of yogurt and water with mint leaves for
flavoring. Algeria grows grapes and produces its own wine, but alcohol is
not widely consumed, as it is forbidden by the Islamic religion.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions.
Religious holidays are often celebrated with special foods. For the
birthday of Muhammad, a holiday called Mulud, dried fruits are a common
treat. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from food and drink
during the daylight hours. Each evening, the fast is broken with a family
meal. Eid al-Fitr, the final breaking of the Ramadan fast, involves
consuming large quantities of foods, sweets, and pastries in particular.

Basic Economy.
Algeria's economy is based primarily on oil and natural gas. The
nation has the world's fifth-largest reserves of natural gas and is
the second-largest exporter. It also has the fourteenth-largest reserves
of oil.

At independence, the economy was primarily based on agriculture, although
since then other industries have eclipsed the importance of farming.
Currently 22 percent of the population are farmers, but their production
accounts for only 6 percent of the country's economy. The
agricultural industry is plagued by droughts, encroaching desert, poor
irrigation, and lack of machinery as well as by government policies that
favor industry over farming. Most food produced is for local consumption;
the most common crops include wheat, barley, corn, and rice, as well as
fruits and vegetables. However, Algeria is able to produce only 25 percent
of its food needs.

Thirty percent of the labor force is employed by the government; 16
percent in construction and public works; 13 percent in industry; and 5
percent in transportation and communications. The country has a serious
problem with unemployment, with a rate of 30 percent. This has lead a
number of men to migrate to the cities in search of work. There also are a
significant number of Algerians who have immigrated to France to find
jobs. Many of them return home in the summer to see their families.

Land Tenure and Property.
When the country was under French rule, the colonizers owned the best
farmland, while the Algerians were forced to work the less fertile areas.
In the southern plateau and desert regions in particular, many people are
nomadic tent-dwellers, who lead their animals from one pasture to another
and lay no claim to any land. At independence, the government set up
cooperative farms and made some attempt to redistribute land under a
socialist model. Under Ben Bella's March Decrees of 1963, which
allowed the takeover of property abandoned by French colonists, the
government itself became the owner of the best farmland, as well as
factories, mines, banks, and the transportation system. However, economic
inequality has remained a pressing problem and has lead to riots and
violent outbreaks.

Commercial Activities.
The center of commercial life in Algeria is the
souk,
large, open-air markets where farmers and craftspeople sell their
products. One can buy locally produced meat, fruits, vegetables, and
grains—oats, barley, grapes, olives, citrus fruit—as well as
woven rugs, jewelry, baskets, metalwork, and other crafts. Souks are held
regularly

Algerian farmers in Ain Terzine. The Algerian agricultural industry
is plagued by several factors, including drought and poor
irrigation.

in regional centers, as well as in the old districts of major cities.
Traditionally things were bought and sold by the barter method, and while
this still exists, most trading today is done with cash.

Major Industries.
The largest industry in Algeria is the production and processing of oil
and gas. Services (trade, transport, and communications) also are
important. Other industries include agriculture, construction, mining, and
manufacturing.

Trade.
Algeria's main exports are oil and gas, followed by dates,
tobacco, leather goods, vegetables, and phosphates. The primary trading
partners are Italy, France, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, and[fj] the
United States. Imports include raw materials, food, beverages, and
consumer products. However, the government imposes strict regulations on
imports in an effort to make the country more self-sufficient.

Division of Labor.
Most of Algeria's workers are unskilled. However, many of the jobs
in the country's industries require specific training, and this
fact contributes to the high unemployment rate. The government has made an
effort to change this by starting specialized training programs. Although
they have the freedom to pursue whatever career path they choose, many
Algerians are constrained by financial hardship and the unpromising job
market.

Social Stratification

Classes and Castes.
The majority of Algerians are poor. Those who are better off are almost
always Arabs, and tend to be urban and well educated. The upper classes
generally look down not just upon the Berbers, but also upon rural,
seminomadic Arabs who speak a different dialect. However, most Algerians
are racially a mix of Arab and Berber, and variations in skin tone and
hair color are not reflected in social standing.

Symbols of Social Stratification.
In the cities, most men, and some younger women, now wear European-style
clothing. The traditional garb is a white woolen cloak, called a
gandoura,
worn over a long cotton shirt. A cape called a
burnous
is sometimes draped over the shoulders; it is made of linen for the
summer and wool for the winter. Sometimes the burnous is plain, or
sometimes it is adorned with fancy embroidery, indicating the wealth of
the

Methods dating back to the Roman era are still employed in the
production of pottery by women of the Kabylia and Aures mountains.
Pottery, jewelry, and woven works are very popular in the open-air
markets.

wearer. The traditional head covering is a red fez wrapped with a white
cloth.

Women's clothing is similar, although more complete in its
coverage. The
haik
drapes them from head to foot, and is worn over loose pants, which are
gathered at the ankle. Tuareg men can be distinguished by the length of
indigo cloth they wear wrapped around the head in a turban, extending over
their robes, and covering them completely with the exception of their
eyes.

Political Life

Government.
Algeria is officially a multiparty republic. It has been controlled since
independence by the FLN. In 1988 a new constitution legalized other
parties, although certain militant Islamic groups, such as the FIS, have
been outlawed. There is one legislative house, the National
People's Assembly, composed of 295 elected deputies who serve
five-year terms and are allowed to run for consecutive terms. They prepare
and vote on all the country's

The center of Algerian commercial life is the
souk
, or open-air market.

laws, excluding issues of national defense. There is universal suffrage.
The president is elected to an indefinitely renewable five-year term. He
appoints a prime minister, who appoints a cabinet.

The country is divided into forty-eight provinces, or
wilayat,
each of which elects its own assembly. The governor, or
wali,
is appointed by the national government, and serves as the primary
liaison between local and federal government. The wilayat are further
divided into administrative districts or
diaraat,
which are themselves broken up into communes.

Leadership and Political Officials.
There is a strongly felt divide in Algeria society between the political
elite and the majority of the population, who feel largely disenfranchised
and powerless. Because the people feel that they are not represented in
the government, many resort to violent action as their only form of
political expression.

Social Problems and Control.
There is a large degree of social unrest, which is exacerbated by both
political repression and unemployment. The political repression gives way
not infrequently to various forms of terrorism, including kidnaping and
the murder of civilians. The high unemployment rate has contributed to an
increase in crime, particularly in the cities.

There are forty-eight provincial courts, one for each wilayat, plus an
additional two hundred tribunals spread throughout the country. The
tribunal is the first level in the justice system. Above this is the
provincial court. The highest level for appeals is the supreme court. Also
there are three courts that deal with economic crimes against the state.
Their verdicts are final and cannot be appealed. The Court of State
Security, composed of magistrates and army officers, tries cases involving
state security.

Military Activity.
The president is commander in chief of Algeria's armed forces,
which total 121,700, including an army of 105,000, a navy of 6,700, and an
air force of 10,000. There also are 150,000 reservists. Military
expenditures are $1.3 billion (U.S.), 2.7 percent of the total budget.

Social Welfare and Change Programs

The government provides free health care for children under sixteen and
adults over sixty. It also offers pensions to the elderly and disabled,
and gives allowances for families with children. The welfare system is
financed by contributions from employers and employees as well as the
state.

Algeria also receives aid from various countries that send specialists to
help with the development of education, industry, health care, and the
military.

Nongovernmental Organizations and Other Associations

Algeria is a member of the Arab League, whose goal is to strengthen ties
among Arab nations, to coordinate their policies, and to protect their
common interests. Algeria also is part of the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC), which coordinates policies among its member
states.

Gender Roles and Statuses

Division of Labor by Gender.
Women work almost exclusively in the home, taking care of all domestic
chores. Anything that involves leaving the house is taken care of by men,
including shopping. Only 7 percent of women work outside the home, most of
these in traditionally female professions such as secretarial work,
teaching, or nursing. (However, this 7 percent does not include women who
work in agriculture, and in farming communities; it is common for women as
well as men to work in the fields.) Women are allowed to run
for public office, but such attempts are still extremely rare.

The Relative Status of Women and Men.
As in Arabic culture in general, women in Algeria are considered weaker
than men, and in need of protection. Men are entrusted with most important
decisions. Women live in a very confined circle of house and family; their
only contact aside from male family members is with other women. Men, on
the other hand, have a much broader sphere, which includes the mosque, the
streets, marketplaces, and coffee shops. Independence did not bring much
change in this realm. Although the new government adopted socialist
principles, gender equality faced great opposition from conservative
Islamic groups.

The Berbers have their own concepts and practices regarding gender, which
vary widely among the different groups. The role of Kabyle women is most
similar to the Arabic tradition; they are unable to inherit property or to
remarry without the consent of the husband who divorced them. The Chaouia
women, while still socially restricted, are thought to have special
magical powers, which gives them a slightly higher status. The
M'zabites advocate social equality and literacy for men and women
within their villages but do not allow the women to leave these confines.
The Tuaregs are an anomaly among Muslim cultures in that the society is
dominated more by women than by men. Whereas it is traditional in Islam
for women to wear veils, among the Tuaregs it is the men who are veiled.
Women control the economy and property, and education is provided equally
to boys and girls.

Marriage, Family and Kinship

Marriage.
Marriages in Algeria are traditionally arranged either by parents of the
couple or by a professional matchmaker. Despite its prevalence in Algeria,
the influx of Western culture has had little influence in this realm, as
the majority of marriages still are arranged. It is considered not just
the union of two individuals, but also of two families. Wedding
celebrations last for days, including music, special sweets, and ritual
baths for the bride. The groom covers the costs of the festivities.

By a law passed in 1984, women gained the right to child custody and to
their own dowries. However, the law also considers women permanent minors,
needing the consent of their husbands or fathers for most activities,
including working outside the home. The decision to divorce rests solely
with the husband. It is still legally permissible, although rare, for men
to have up to four wives, a code that is laid out in the Qurán
(Koran).

Domestic Unit.
Traditionally the domestic unit included whole extended families. The
husband, his wives, and their children continued to live with the
husband's parents. Grandparents also were part of the household, as
were widowed or divorced daughters and aunts and their children. This has
changed somewhat since independence, with increasing urbanization and the
trend toward smaller families. However, it is still common for Algerian
women to have between seven and nine children.

Inheritance.
Inheritance passes from father to the eldest son. If there are no
children, land and belongings are distributed among other relatives.

Kin Groups.
In areas of the country with a stronger Arab influence, affiliations are
based mostly on blood relations. Loyalty to family is more powerful than
any other relationship or responsibility. Traditionally, kin groups have
lived in close proximity. Today these ties are somewhat weaker than in the
past, due to the influence of urbanization and modernization, but even in
the cities, life still centers around the family.

In the Berber tradition, loyalty breaks down along the lines of village
groupings, or
sofs.
These groups are political, and part of a democratic process governing
life in the village.

Socialization

Infant Care.
As in many cultures, infant care is an exclusively female domain. Most
women almost never leave the home and thus are never far from their infant
children.

Child Rearing and Education.
Children are highly valued in Arabic society and are considered a wealth
and a blessing to their parents. However, child rearing standards differ
significantly for male and female children: Girls are taught to be
obedient to all males, while boys learn that the primary function of girls
and women is to attend to the males' needs and desires. Girls
typically have more duties and chores than boys, who are free to play and
spend more time out of doors. Traditionally, only boys were educated,
although this has begun to change in recent times.

In 1977, only 42 percent of the population was literate. This increased to
57 percent in 1990, with a male literacy rate of 70 percent and a female
rate of
45 percent. The government has concentrated its efforts more on youth
than on adult literacy.

Before independence, the Algerian education system was based on the French
model. The majority of Algerian children did not attend school. In the
years since 1971, the government made education free and mandatory for
children between ages six and fifteen, and has made an effort to use the
education system to define the nation. Its program stresses the study of
the Arabic language as well as technical skills. Ninety percent of
children in the cities and 67 percent of rural children now attend primary
school. Half of all eligible secondary-age children are enrolled. Girls
now comprise 38 percent of students in the secondary schools, a
significant increase from preindependence days, when virtually no females
attended schools. Despite its lofty goals, however, the system has had
difficulty accommodating the increasing population of students, while the
number of qualified teachers has diminished. In 1985 a total of 71 percent
of secondary teachers were foreign.

Higher Education.
During French rule, the sole university in the country, in Algiers, was
open only to French students. Today there are more than thirty institutes
of higher learning, with universities in a number of cities, including
Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba, and Tlemcen. This also includes
state-funded institutes for technical, agricultural, vocational, and
teacher training. A number of Algerians study abroad as well, and the
government pays to send them to the United States, Eastern Europe, and
Russia.

Etiquette

Greetings are lengthy and involved, including inquiries into health and
family. Social interactions are much more common among members of the same
gender than between men and women. Public displays of
affection—touching, hand-holding— between men and women are
rare, but not between members of the same sex.

Algerians are known for their hospitality and generosity. Visiting is a
mainstay of social life, mostly within the circle of extended family. The
host serves tea or coffee and sweets.

Religion

Religious Beliefs.
Ninety-nine percent of Algeria is Sunni Muslim. There also is a tiny
Jewish community, whose presence goes back centuries. Christianity has
existed in Algeria since the Roman era, but despite efforts (particularly
by the French colonizers) to convert, the number of Algerian Christians is
very small. Islam forms the basis not only of religious life in Algeria
but also is a unifying force (both within the country and with other Arab
nations), creating for all believers a common ground that is both cultural
and spiritual. There is a range of observance among Algerian Muslims;
rural people tend to hold more strictly to the traditional practices.

There also are remnants of the indigenous Berber religion, which has been
almost entirely subsumed by Islam. Despite opposition by both the French
colonizers and the Algerian government (who viewed this religion as a
threat to the unity of the country), there are still some organizations,
called brotherhoods, that hold on to their magical practices and
ceremonies.

The term Islam means submission to God. It shares certain prophets,
traditions, and beliefs with Judaism and Christianity, the main difference
being the Muslim belief that Muhammad is the final prophet and the
embodiment of God, or Allah. The foundation of Islamic belief is called
the Five Pillars. The first, the Shahada, is profession of faith. The
second is prayer, or Salat. Muslims pray five times a day; it is not
necessary to go to the mosque, but the call to prayer echoes out over each
city or town from the minarets of the holy buildings. Friday is the Muslim
Sabbath, and the most important prayer of the week is the noon prayer on
this day. The third Pillar, Zakat, is the principle of almsgiving. The
fourth is fasting, which is observed during the month of Ramadan each
year, when Muslims abstain from food and drink during the daylight hours.
The fifth Pillar is the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, in
present-day Saudi Arabia, which every Muslim must make at some time in his
or her life.

Religious Practitioners.
There are no priests or clergy in Islam. There are, however, men called
mufti,
who interpret the Qurán (the Muslim holy book) for legal purposes,
as well as
khatib,
who read the Qurán in the mosques, and
imam,
who lead prayers in the mosques. There are also
muezzins,
who give the call to prayer. The Qurán, rather than any religious
leader, is considered the ultimate authority, and holds the answer to any
question or dilemma one might have.

In the indigenous Berber religion, the holy men, called
marabouts,
were thought to be endowed by God with special powers.

Rituals and Holy Places.
The most important observation in the Islamic calendar is Ramadan. This
month of fasting is followed by the joyous

A rug store in Ghardaia. Traditional Algerian crafts, including
woven carpets, have been widely praised for their attention to
detail.

feast of Eid al Fitr, during which families visit and exchange gifts. Eid
al-Adha commemorates the end of Muhammad's Hajj.

The mosque is the Muslim house of worship. Outside the door there are
washing facilities, as cleanliness is a necessary prerequisite to prayer,
demonstrating humility before God. One also must remove one's shoes
before entering the mosque. According to Islamic tradition, women are not
allowed inside. The interior has no altar; it is simply an open carpeted
space. Because Muslims are supposed to pray facing Mecca, there is a small
niche carved into the wall pointing out in which direction the city lies.

Death and the Afterlife.
Death is marked by visiting the family of the deceased. Family members
dress in black. Death also is mourned in a larger, more communal way as
part of the Islamic New Year's celebration, called Ashura. Muslims
mark the passing of the old year by going to cemeteries to commemorate the
dead.

Medicine and Health Care

Medical care is free and nationalized. The government concentrates its
efforts on preventive medicine and vaccinations, building local clinics
and health centers rather than large centralized hospitals. After
completing their training, all medical workers are obligated to put in
several years at a state medical facility. The biggest health problems are
tuberculosis, venereal diseases, malaria, trachoma, typhoid fever, and
dysentery.

Virtually all health care facilities and providers are concentrated in the
more populous north; most people in rural areas have no access to modern
medical care. Overpopulation and housing shortages in the cities have
created their own health problems, due to poor sanitation and lack of safe
drinking water.

The Arts and the Humanities

Support for the Arts.
During the French regime, Algerian culture was largely suppressed in an
attempt
by the colonizers to supplant it with their own. However, since
independence, the government has made an effort to strengthen the native
Berber, Arabic, and Islamic culture by giving money to open handicraft
centers and by encouraging the traditional arts of rug-making, pottery,
embroidery, and jewelry-making. The National Institute of Music revives
music, dance, and folklore from the ancient Arabic and Moorish traditions.
There is a national film company as well, which produces most Algerian
movies.

Literature.
Algeria counts among its literary stars both French writers who lived and
wrote in Algeria (e.g., Albert Camus and Emmanuel Robles) as well as
native Algerians, some of whom have chosen to write in the colonial
language (such as playwright Kateb Yacine), and some of whom write in
Arabic or Berber dialects. One advantage of writing in French is that it
allows books to be published in France, and then distributed in both
France and Algeria. The choice to write in Arabic or Berber, however, is
often an act of national pride, and creates a different audience for the
work. Many Algerian writers draw on both the influence of European
literature and the ancient Arabic tradition of storytelling.

Graphic Arts.
Traditional crafts include knotted and woven carpets made from wool or
goat hair; basket-weaving; pottery, silver jewelry; intricate embroidery;
and brassware. Algerian films have recently won accolades, both within the
country and abroad. Many of them are dramas and documentaries that deal
with issues of colonialism, revolution, and social issues. The director
Mahmed Lakhdar Hamina won the Cannes Film Festival award in 1982 for his
film
Desert Wind.

Performance Arts.
Algerian music and dance follow in the Arabic tradition. These forms of
expression were suppressed during the French regime, but are today
experiencing a revival. Arabic music is tied to the storytelling tradition
and often recounts tales of love, honor, and family. Technically, it is
repetitive and subtle. It uses quarter notes and makes small jumps on the
scale. Traditional instruments are the
oud,
a stringed instrument similar to the lute; small drums held in the lap;
and the
rhita,
or reed flute.

The State of the Physical and Social Sciences

There is the University of Science and Technology at Oran, as well as the
Houari Boumedienne University of Science and Technology. There are the
Ministry of Energy and Petrochemicals and the Ministry of Agriculture and
Fishing, both of which sponsor educational institutes.

Bibliography

Adamson, Kay.
Algeria: A Study in Competing Ideologies,
1998.

Ball, David W.
Empires of Sand,
1999.

Fuller, Graham E.
Algeria: The Next Fundamentalist State?
1996.

Graffenried, Michael von.
Inside Algeria,
1998.

Journal of Algerian Studies,
1996.

Laremont, Ricardo Rene.
Islam and the Politics of Resistance in Algeria 1783–1992,
2000.

Malley, Robert.
Call from Algeria: Third Worldism, Revolution, and the Turn to Islam,
1996.

McDowall, David.
Let's Visit Algeria,
1985.

Morocco and Tunisia Handbook with Algeria, Libya, and
Mauritania,
1995.

Rogerson, Barnaby.
A Traveller's History of North Africa,
1998.

Stone, Martin.
The Agony of Algeria,
1997.

Targ Brill, Marlene.
Algeria,
1990.

Willis, Michael.
Islamist Challenge in Algeria: A Political
History,
1997.

This article is very comprehensive and shed a lot of light for me.
However i wanted to find out if it is common for algerians (or arabs as a whole) to have interracial marriages? Is this permitted in their culture?

would love to thank you so much for these valuable information !!!
really helped me in my research
wich you good luck in other articles; orelse i do need your help, or any one who could help me
i have that project about the Algerian life style in the past, the present and the future.
as soon as possible!!
see i looked for it in the net but i didn't seem to find any reasult so if you could help i wopuld be so grateful and mostly thankful

p.s: if you find something that would help me please snd it to me in my email box. here's my adress : sou18ad@hotmail.com

Hi I was looking for a description on the woman's traditional Kabyle garments and jewelry very particular to that culture. I have seen it often and you even have a picture of a woman in the traditional dress making pottery. Could you expand on that section as I have been asked to describe these garments, names and style by many. Also you only described how the men dress fully. Thank you,

Interracial marriage is not a common arab happening, however, from experience, I can say that is not impossible. Very good article which gave me the information I was looking or. Does anyone know what the customs are for burial and/or mourning?

Well it's an interesting article but I should say that some information are not as they seem especially those concerning women. Women don't need too much protection! because if any woman faces a physical abuse she can go to the court and gets all her rights. For Amanda yes it's permitted in our culture to have interracial mariages. Thanks for this article!

Overall this was very informative, but I have some points that would help people get a better understanding of Algeria. I know you're talking about the history of Algeria, but you're also talking about its culture... So it would be great if you could also add modern photos(in Urban areas) because over the years, Algerian culture has changed dramatically. For instance, there was no mention of Rai music, which is one of the most modern aspects of Algerian music, and a HUGE part of the culture. Also, most people in Algeria currently live in conditions more similar to Western styles than those presented in the photos.

Very well written, however there are some incorrect facts. Marriage is no long solely arranged, though it still occurs more commenly in outside villages. In addition, woman are not subjected to meet the men's needs, that is rather a more older tradition, and certainly not an Islamimc trait. Woman are allowed in mosques, for they too have the right to pray, although in seperate rooms from men to avoid distraction. Woman are more socially active especially in the super markets. most pictures taken depict the non modern Algerian life, the villagers though still hold on strongly in their traditional more humble way of living, but in contast, the cities are very much modernized. If anyone is interested, feel free to ask me questions.

Thanks for the article ,I have just one comment about the embodiment of God ,Muslims do not believe that the Prophet Mohamed(peace be upon him) embodies god ,but we believe in him as human being who has been chosen by God to deliver his message,like all the prophets (peace be upon them).

I really like the information. However reagrding the islamic perspective and islamic information you should ensure that the information is correct as some books or articles may in one way or another be biased.

I just want to make a point we do not wear black when someone's death except that if a married woman she did not make-up and does not leave his house for 04 months and 10 days unless it 'is needed, and more musilmans of Algeria does not death mourned in large and so common as part of the celebration of Ashura, because we are not Chia ,we are Souna , but we have habits: for example prepare Couccous the day before Achoura, make-up eyes with Kohl, Henna in the hands and also cut 1 / 10 of hair for women of course .

Very good describtion of algeria...i was in algiers this year in august...i was a bit shocked...most houses are old and in desolate condition...there were lots of rubbish and wastebags on the streets...nobody seems to care about cleanliness...they must have a big problem with rats and mice with all that dirt...so i would really recommend whenever u eat something(fruits...)from the market at least wash it properly...in some parts of the town i would not leave the car or enter the street without the company of a man...in the evening at every corner of houses or street men are hanging out...no women at all...made me feel very uncomfortable...all the women wear at least hijab...even when the daytemperature rises to 38C...most of the women follow their traditional role (kitchen, children, coran)...there is lots of police and checkpoints on the streets...is it to control people? is it to avoid a attack from fanatic islamists?...i could never live there as a woman...it feels like u have no air to breathe...but i also have to say algerian people are very friendly and welcoming and deserve all the respect of the world...think most of them are very nice people...feel very sorry for them that they have to live in such bad conditions (government, corruption, military, unemployment) Malika

Hi. I'm working on a project about Pharmacy in Algeria but cannot find any information. Can anybody tell me what is the role of the pharmacist?, who is allowed to dispense medications?, own a pharmacy? Are there any medication problems? I'd really appreciate your help. Thank you in adavance

You have gotten alot wrong in this article especially the parts about women in Algerian society and in islam. Muslims do not believe Muhammed in the embodiment of Allah and there are other such wrong comments - I suggest you amend them

thanx for this information..i really have to know algeria more..because this will be my second place soo.. my fiance was there..and we will be married there..so this information helps me more to know the algerian culture.

I Have been in algeria now 3 times during years 2010-12. last time i got from there was 5.1.12, so im fresh in motions. Yes. Many things true in this article, but its little too much on mans eyes. I couldnt visit marakesh, cause im woman and not algerian, it was little too scary, and yes very religonal area. I want mention the thing that irritates me most in this country...its pollution and garbage everywhere in citys and also sometimes seen and felt in little villages. It feels noone takes care of nature and all is very messed up. I think much pollution and all kind of hmm poisons are in ground. this shit is also on a places as a fruittrees and to be eaten as cows and goats, plus lams. I felt so sick sometimes to see all garbage and no recycling for anything. Also the habits treat animals are low, couldnt watch many times while see alive chikens who are rolling in the machine that takes their weathers away, very lovely. There is also much smell in areas as algers, for europen woman its way too much. I can say i could never live there either, even its my so called second home. I cannot be resisting the traditons for woman to stay inside four walls. Its very very very different for my brain and life in western country. This i found out: i could try dress as a man and go out at evenings, lol, never did this. I have broke the traditions just cause i needed to go and see my email at coffee, but i wouldnt have done this without man with me. everyone smokes too in all places and its very bad, in cars noone in backseats wear any securitybelts and many dies in accidents. This country is so full of nice places but also miserable things. i would like to help algerian people to create more fresh, happy and free algeria. This goverment they have now its not much helping i see. also the big effects of terrorism and fear of war has left big scars on humans hearts and brain. With all respect, i love this country but its very crowded and too many problems around, little worried for future, and little worried for people there. god bless, sahita.

I quite like your comment. I had exactly the same Impression! The pollution and the dirt everywhere irritated me a lot also. I was shocked and disgusted by all the rubbish and dirt on the streets. I was also irritated about how the women apparently have to dress: at 40C day-temperature covered from head to toe in at least two layers. Even on the beach the women are sitting under the sun umbrella in their full veil while husband and children are swimming. Really sad. I think as a European woman I could never never never live there. Its not to compare with the life in Europe. As you said you can not even go as a woman alone to a internet cafe to check your e mails. The life for women is very limited and reduced to cooking, cleaning,childcare. I hope the political situation will stay stable there and Algeria will develop ton a better future.Malika

Hello, I found this article to be very informative. I am a college student taking a Global Understanding class. We are partnered with a class from Algeria. I'm currently doing a project on Algerian Cuisine and I could use a little more information than what is listed on here. I was wondering if anyone could help me. If you could get back to me A.S.A.P that would really mean a lot.

I love living in Algeria.As a Westerner and a Muslim it's a great country,everywhere has its ups and downs,but just to let all those who think DZ is bad, living here is good,there are quite a few of us living in Algiers..with only positive things to say...

This website helped me so much with a project I am doing in school. I am definitely going to recommend this website to one of my other classmates. Who ever made this website, I give them absolute gratitude!

Good article. However, I have to say that it is not per Islamic rules or customs that a woman cannot attend the mosque. Normally there is a seperate section for men and a seperate one for women. Prophet Muhummad PBUH made sure that women had equal rights to worship and education in Islam. He told husbands not to forbid them to go to mosque if they like.

This article was fine. HOWEVER, they were totally wrong on one very important part about religious beliefs. Muslims do not consider Muhammad salallahu alayhi salaam to be the "embodiment" of God. That is untrue and disrespectful. Our Prophet PBUH is the slave and messenger of God, and the best example for Muslims to follow. However, God needs no embodiment. Thx.

The algerian cuisine was very accurate and so was the rest of this article, except for the customs of men and women. Women tend to leave the house frequently as long as the children are well taken care of. Very rarely do parents arrange marriages; but what they might do is suggest another person to go out with, like on dates for a long period of time, but they don't have to marry them if they don't want to. Women and men are free to go out with each other, but they don't really tell anyone except if they are about to be engaged or it is someone of the same gender.There is no racisim in Algeria regarding interracial marriages, Algerians get married to people from other countries frequently, but a woman would most likely marry a man who is Muslim. Marriage is based on loyalty,faith, and love for one another. Women aren't taught to satisfy the needs of a man, it is considered 50/50, although Algerian men are quite overprotective.

Thanks for the article. I need to know where musicians learn their craft. Is there some kind of music school? Is there a place that collects examples of the rich music culture (historical and popular), maybe a government Ministry of Arts?

Good day. I am currently doing an assignment on The monument built in remembrance of the Algerian war. I was just wondering if someone knows [cannot seem to find a decent answer] what the relevance of the palm leaf shape is that is is build in... What is the significance of the date palm to the Algerian people or the war?

Good day. I am currently doing an assignment on The monument built in remembrance of the Algerian war. I was just wondering if someone knows [cannot seem to find a decent answer] what the relevance of the palm leaf shape is that is is build in... What is the significance of the date palm to the Algerian people or the war?

algeria is an amazing country but of course there is a lot of problems but i just like it cause its beautiful and rich and a special country. so who think that algeria its not cool he should take a look just to see if he was wrong, cause i liked it and i hope u will to.

Decent aricle, thanks a lot. Yet there is a lot that seems superficial, and we don't picture very well what is Algeria in reality.
First of all, there seems to have been a dichotomy between (pre French colonization period vs post French Colinizsation period). The History of Alegeria goes far beyond this. We can't talk about northern Africa as a whole without giving some background about the Numedian Empire. The Berbers had a long and interesting history; the language and culture are still to be found mainly in Kabylie. These people speak the language and they don't speak arabic, some of them are Christians and they have interesting figures throughout history ( Saint Augustine, Juba, Jugurtha, La Kahina, Zidane lol) anyway, I believe that there is a lot to be reviewed concerning this, plus in terms of the culture, I believe that the Ottomans had much more influence than the Arabs ( Endalouse music, Auoud, clothes ...

Algeria is a really good place , great geography and many good places not very well known abroad cuz the lack advertising to the country and tourist policy ???
people welcome strangers always and treat them like brothers with great hospitality !

Dear//Sir/madam i am indian working in Dubai UAE.as a storekeeper/timekeeper.presently i am seeking a job in Algeria. i want to move algeria. i want live with algerian life. it is new life for me men and women children expecting to support I want learning life style with men and women. please help me anybody support and idea. my contact no.+971566534155 my email.veeranaganeshkumar@gmail.com

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: